From: AllisonAnderson@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 10:23 AM
To: FDADockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Downed animals
22 February 2001
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Dockets Management Branch
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20852
Fax: 301.827.6870
Email: FDADockets@oc.fda.gov
Reference: Docket Number 98P-0151/CP1
Dear Sir or Madam,
I urge the FDA to grant petition 98P-0151/CP1, which prohibits the
slaughter of downed animals.
The time has come to stop the marketing and slaughter of downed
animals. In light of the problems in Europe surrounding sick animals,
Americans want no part of this dangerous and inhumane practice. Animals
who are too sick even to stand pose a health threat and should not be
allowed to enter the human food chain. I applaud the U.S. Department of
Agriculture which announced last year it would stop purchasing meat from
downed cows for the National School Lunch Program. It is time for the
FDA to follow suit and grant this petition.
It is simply the right thing to do. Besides the health threats these
animals pose, their treatment while sick is downright unmerciful and
grievous. Since it is impossible to move downed animals humanely, they
are typically pushed with tractors or dragged with chains. These
practices cause additional suffering for the animals in the form of
injuries ranging from bruises and abrasions, to broken bones and torn
ligaments.
From an economic standpoint, prohibiting the slaughter of downed
animals will not cause any undue hardship because they comprise a very
small percentage of animals slaughtered.
Please stop this practice now. It has no place in the United States of
America.
Respectfully,
Allison Anderson
82 Clinton #6B
Hoboken, NJ 07030